The New York Giants have until 4 p.m. Tuesday to get a deal done with QB Daniel Jones before they have to franchise tag him. Tuesday is the deadline to use the tag and it seems likely that New York will have to place it on their franchise quarterback as the two sides still have no deal in place for a contract extension.
The Giants met with Jones’ representatives for several days at the Scouting Combine. However, Giants officials and Daniel Jones’ agents from Athletes First are expected to leave Indianapolis on Sunday with no contract resolution in sight, according to Tom Pelissero.
New York Giants racing to get a Daniel Jones deal done by Tuesday
If the Giants can’t get a deal done before Tuesday, they plan to put the franchise tag on Daniel Jones. The tag for a quarterback is worth $32.4 million, a price point that is reportedly far less than what Jones and his agents are seeking.
Daniel Jones and his representatives opened negotiations with an asking price of $48 million per season (Ian O’Conner of The Post). Some around the league expect the deal between Jones and the Giants to be a four-year deal in excess of $160 million, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The two sides are working on a mega-extension, but time is ticking with the franchise tag deadline right around the corner.
When I ask people in Indy what has surprised them the most this week, the main answer is that the Giants appear comfortable giving Jones a huge deal.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN
In addition to the looming franchise tag deadline, the Giants have to also keep in mind that the New League Year begins on March 15th at 4 p.m., which is when all impending free agents officially hit the open market.
If Jones is tagged, RB Saquon Barkley cannot be tagged, and it is very likely he would be an unrestricted free agent on March 15th in this scenario. However, if a long-term deal gets done with Daniel Jones, the Giants are expected to place the franchise tag on Barkley, preventing him from hitting the open market.
The New York Giants have been exploring contingency plans at the quarterback position this offseason. While the team seems confident it will be able to get a deal done with its franchise quarterback, Big Blue is smart to prepare for all scenarios.
Franchise tagging Jones might be the best option for the Giants at this point as his representatives continue to seek a contract that will make their QB one of the highest-paid players in NFL history.